The Study Board for Civil Engineering /
Curriculum for the Master of Science in Management in the Building Industry
Curriculum for the Master’s Programme in Management in the Building Industry
Aalborg University 2012
Preface
Pursuant to Act 367 of May 22, 2013 on Universities (the University Act) with subsequent changes, the following curriculum for the Master of Science programme in Management in the Building Industry is stipulated. The programme also follows the Framework Provisions and the Examination Policies and Procedures for the Faculty of Engineering and Science and the Faculty of Medicine.
This is an English translation of Studieordning for cand.scient.techn. i byggeledelse. In the event of a discrepancy between the translation and the Danish version, the Danish text published at the School of Engineering and Science webpage is valid.
Table of Contents
Preface
Chapter 1: Legal Basis of the Curriculum etc.
1.1 Basis in Ministerial Orders
1.2 Faculty affiliation
1.3 Board of Studies affiliation
Chapter 2: Admission, Degree Designation, Program Duration and Competence Profile
2.1 Admission
2.2 Degree designation in Danish and English
2.3 The program’s specification in ECTS credits
2.4 Competence profile on the diploma
2.5 Competence profile of the programme
Chapter 3: Content and Organisation of the Programme
3.1 Overview of the programme
3.2 Module descriptions
Chapter 4: Entry into Force, Interim Provisions and Revision
Chapter 5: Other Provisions
5.1 Rules concerning written work, including the Master’s thesis
Appendix: Module descriptions
Problem Based Learning and Introduction to Statics
Design and Construction of Buildings
Project management and Production in Construction
Project Management and Economics
Strategy and Performance Measurements
Development of Advanced Project and Quality Management Systems
Development of Project and Quality Management Systems
Management of the Construction Process
Framework conditions of Construction
Geotechnics and Foundation
Information Technology and Building Modelling
Master’s Thesis
Management of Construction Industry Companies
Management of Construction Industry Facilities Management Companies
Chapter 1:Legal Basis of the Curriculum etc.
1.1 Basis in Ministerial Orders
The Master’s programme (cand.scient.techn.) in Management in the Building Industry is organised in accordance with theMinistry of Science, Innovation and Higher Education’s Order no. 814 of June 29, 2010 on Bachelor’s and Master’s Programs at Universities (the Ministerial Order of the Study Programs) and Ministerial Order no. 666 of June 24, 2012 on University Examinations (the Examination Order) with subsequent changes. Further reference is made to Ministerial Order no. 241 of March 15, 2013 (the Admission Order) and Ministerial Order no. 250 of March 15, 2007 (the Grading Scale Order) with subsequent changes.
1.2 Faculty affiliation
The Master’s programme falls under the Faculties of Engineering and Science, Aalborg University.
1.3 Board of Studies affiliation
The Master’s programme falls under the Board of Studies for Civil Engineering, School of Engineering and Science.
Chapter 2: Admission, Degree Designation, Program Duration and Competence Profile
2.1 Admission
Admission to the Master’s programme in Management in the Building Industry requires a Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Technology and Construction Management, a Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, or a Bachelor of engineering degreein civil engineering, or the like.
Students with another Bachelor's degree, upon application to the Board of Studies, will be admitted after a specific academic assessment if the applicant is deemed to have comparable educational prerequisites. The University can stipulate requirements concerning conducting additional exams prior to the start of study.
2.2 Degree designation in Danish and English
The Master’s programme entitles the graduate to the designation cand.scient.techn. (candidatus/candidata scientiarum technologiae) i Byggeledelse. The English designation is: Master of Science (MSc) and Technology in Management in the Building Industry.
2.3 The program’s specification in ECTS credits
The Master’s programme is a 2-year, research-based, full-time study program. The program is set to 120 ECTS credits.
2.4 Competence profile on the diploma
The following competence profile will appear on the diploma:
A Candidatus graduate has the following competency profile:
A Candidatus graduate has competencies that have been acquired via a course of study that has taken place in a research environment.
A Candidatus graduate is qualified for employment on the labour market on the basis of his or her academic discipline as well as for further research (PhD programmes). A Candidatus graduate has, compared to a Bachelor, developed his or her academic knowledge and independence so as to be able to apply scientific theory and method on an independent basis within both an academic and a professional context.
2.5 Competence profile of the programme
The graduate of the Master’s programme:
Knowledge: /- Has knowledge in management in the building industry that, in selected areas, are based on the highest international research in a subject area.
- can understand and, on a scientific basis, reflect over the knowledge of management in the building industry and identify scientific problems.
- has knowledge about organisation and management of order-based production in the building activity, including management systems, both technical, economic, social and organisational.
- can understand and, on a scientific basis, reflect over the builders and construction contractors frames and conditions for production, and be able to identify innovation and development potentials.
Skills: /
- excels in the scientific methods and tools and general skills related to employment within Management in the Building Industry.
- can evaluate and select among the scientific theories, methods, tools and general skills within Management in the Building Industry and, on a scientific basis, advance new analyses and solutions.
- can communicate research-based knowledge and discuss professional and scientific problems with both peers and non-specialists.
Competences: /
- can manage work and development situations that are complex, unpredictable and require new solutions.
- can independently initiate and implement discipline-specific and interdisciplinary cooperation and assume professional responsibility.
- can independently take responsibility for own professional development and specialisation.
- can structure and communicate problems and solutions and consequences targeted at different recipients and consider both professional, technical ethics as a possible conflict of interests.
- has knowledge of the connection between project engineering and execution, running and maintenance of building, including basic knowledge of design of models and building up models that describe the building’s products and processes.
Chapter 3: Content and Organisation of the Programme
The programme is structured in modules and organized as a problem-based study. A module is a programme element or a group of programme elements, which aims to give students a set of professional skills within a fixed time frame specified in ECTS credits, and concluding with one or more examinations within specific exam periods.
The programme is based on a combination of academic, problem-oriented and interdisciplinary approaches and organized based on the following work and evaluation methods that combine skills and reflection:
- project work
- lectures
- classroom instruction
- study circles
- workshops
- exercises (individually and in groups)
- laboratory experiments
- field measurements and registration
- portfolio work
- independent study
Where the modules are specific aspects of teaching methods, this will be indicated by the module description, see below.
Project modules are generally evaluated in a group based oral exam based upon a submitted report and an oral group presentation according to the Framework provisions (examination policies).
For individual written exams the study board selects among the following possibilities:
- written exam based on handed out exercises
- multiple choice
- on-going evaluation of written assignments
For individual oral exams the study board selects among the following possibilities:
- oral exam with or without preparation
- oral exam based on project report
- oral exam based on presentation seminar
- portfolio based oral exam
If the number of students following a module is small and/or if the number of students having to attend a re-exam is small the study board can decide that an exam is conducted either as an oral or written individual exam for practical and economic reasons. In the first case decision must be notified before the start of the teaching activity in the latter case the students must be notified when the examination date is decided.
3.1 Overview of the programme
All modules are assessed through individual grading according to the 7-point scale or Pass/Fail. All modules are assessed by external examination (external grading) or internal examination (internal grading or by assessment by the supervisor only).
Of a total of 120 ECTS, 105ECTS are assessed by the 7-point scale and 45 ECTS are assessed by external examination.
Semester / Module / ECTS / Assessment / Exam1 / Design and construction of buildings / 15 / 7-point scale / Internal
Project management and economics / 5 / 7-point scale / Internal
Geotechnics and foundation / 5 / 7-point scale / Internal
Problem based learning and Introduction to statics / 5 / Pass/no-pass / Internal
2 / Project management and production in construction / 15 / 7-point scale / External
Management of the construction process / 5 / 7-point scale / Internal
Framework of construction / 5 / 7-point scale / Internal
Development of project and quality management systems / 5 / Pass/no-pass / Internal
3* / A: Management of construction industry companies / 15 / 7-point scale / Internal
B: Management of construction industry facilities management companies / 15 / 7-point scale / Internal
Information technology and building modelling / 5 / Pass/no-pass / Internal
Development of advanced project and quality management systems / 5 / 7-point scale / Internal
Strategy and performance measurements / 5 / 7-point scale / Internal
4 / Master’s thesis / 30 / 7-point scale / External
Total / 120
On the 3rd semester the students must select between module A or B.
The students are given options in the project modules as they can select among different projects within the same general theme. Moreover, the Master Thesis on the 4th semester can be selected freely within the field of Management in the Building Industry.
The Study Board of Civil Engineering can decide, that the contents of a course module on a semester is taught in the project module in the same semester, by increasing the ECTS extend as well as the learning goals. The decision is taken regarding to capacity and/or economy of the semester.
3.2 Module descriptions
Descriptions of the modules of the education are inserted in the Appendix, ordered alphabetically after their Danish title.
Chapter 4: Entry into Force, Interim Provisions and Revision
The curriculum is approved by the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Science and enters into force as of 1February 2012.
Students who wish to complete their studies under the previous curriculum from 2009 must conclude their education by the summer examination period 2013 at the latest, since examinations under the previous curriculum are not offered after this time.
In accordance with the Framework Provisions and the Handbook on Quality Management for the Faculty of Engineering and Science at Aalborg University, the curriculum must be revised no later than 5 years after its entry into force.
Chapter 5: Other Provisions
5.1 Rules concerning written work, including the Master’s thesis
In the assessment of all written work, regardless of the language it is written in, weight is also given to the student's spelling and formulation ability, in addition to the academic content. Orthographic and grammatical correctness as well as stylistic proficiency are taken as a basis for the evaluation of language performance. Language performance must always be included as an independent dimension of the total evaluation. However, no examination can be assessed as ‘Pass’ on the basis of good language performance alone; similarly, an examination normally cannot be assessed as ‘Fail’ on the basis of poor language performance alone.
The Board of Studies can grant exemption from this in special cases (e.g., dyslexia or a native language other than Danish).
The Master’s thesis must include an English summary.[1] If the project is written in English, the summary must be in Danish.[2] The summary must be at least 1 page and not more than 2 pages. The summary is included in the evaluation of the project as a whole.
5.2 Rules concerning credit transfer (merit), including the possibility for choice of modules that are part of another program at a university in Denmark or abroad
In the individual case, the Board of Studies can approve successfully completed (passed) program elements from other Master’s programs in lieu of program elements in this program (credit transfer). The Board of Studies can also approve successfully completed (passed) program elements from another Danish program or a program outside of Denmark at the same level in lieu of program elements within this curriculum. Decisions on credit transfer are made by the Board of Studies based on an academic assessment. See the Framework Provisions for the rules on credit transfer.
5.3 Rules for examinations
The rules for examinations are stated in the Examination Policies and Procedures published by the Faculties of Engineering, Science and Medicine on their website.
5.4 Exemption
In exceptional circumstances, the Board of Studies study can grant exemption from those parts of the curriculum that are not stipulated by law or ministerial order. Exemption regarding an examination applies to the immediate examination.
5.5 Additional information
The current version of the curriculum is published on the Board of Studies’ website, including more detailed information about the program, including exams.
Completion of the Master’s program
The Master’s program must be completed no later than four years after it was begun.
Rules and requirements concerning the reading of texts in foreign languages and a statement of the foreign language knowledge this assumes
It is assumed that the student can read academic texts in modern Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and English and use reference works, etc., in other European languages
Appendix: Module descriptions
Problem Based Learning and Introduction to Statics
Problemorienteret læring og introduktion til statik
Prerequisites: Admission to the programme
Goal: Students who complete the module must have acquired the following knowledge, skills and competencies:
Knowledge
- Must have knowledge about basic design elements and construction types
- Must have knowledge about of the modeling of loads and supports
- Must have knowledge about forces and moments
- Must be able to understand equilibrium equations
- Must be able to understand the concepts of static determinacyand in-determinacy
- Must have knowledge of common building materials: steel, wood and concrete.
- Must be able to explain the learning theories that underlie problem based learning
- Must be able to explain the Aalborg model approach to problembased learning.
- Must be able to explain the various techniques for planning and management of the group-based project work.
Skills
- Must be able to set static models for planar truss, beam and frame structures
- Must be able to perform calculations of reactions in statically determinate truss, beam and frame structures
- Must be able to perform calculations of section forces and stresses in statically determinate truss, beam and frame structures
- Must be able to use the notation and terminology in the field area.
- Must be able to plan and manage a problem-based and project-organized study project carried out by a project group.
- Must be able to communicate project results and processes in a coherent, structured and understandable manner, both in writing, verbally and graphically.
- Must be able to analyze the project group’sorganization of the group cooperation with a view to identifying strengths and weaknesses, and based on the analysis make suggestions for how cooperation in future groups can be improved.
- Must be able to reflect on the causes and propose possible solutions to any group conflicts.
- Must be able to analyze and evaluateown studyefforts and learning in relation to a problem-based group workwith a view to continued professional development.
- Must be able to analyze and evaluatecollective learning processes for joint knowledge development and exchange of experience.
Competencies
- Must be able to engage in a dialogue on technical issues in which a basic knowledge of statics is assumed.
- Must be able to engage in, reflect on and optimize own participation in a group-based project.
- Must be able to consciously reflect on and develop own learning.
- Must be able to engage in, reflect on and optimize collective learning processes in relation to specific technological projects.
Teaching methods: Lectures supplemented with workshops, presentation seminars, laboratory visits and more.
Exam format: Individual oral or written examination. The exam form is determined at the beginning of the semester.
Evaluation criteria: As described in the Framework Provisions.
Design and Construction of Buildings
Projekteringog udførelse af bygningskonstruktioner
Prerequisites:In accordance with the admission requirements
Goal: Students who complete themodule must have acquired the following knowledge, skills and competencies:
Knowledge - The student must have knowledge of the theories that describe the following subject areas:
- Must have knowledge of the interaction between design and construction of buildings.
- Must have knowledge of civil engineering including the timing and financial impact of different construction methods.
- Must have knowledge of basic foundation and concrete structures.
Skills – The student must be able to:
- Describe the alternative shapes of selective structural elements, including foundation design.
- Explain alternative material types and construction methods and specify criteria for choosing between alternatives.
- Analyze the time required for a construction project and set schedules, for example as bar charts, network diagrams and cyclograms.
- Analyze the cost of construction of a building project and plan tender calculations in regards to the chosen construction methods.
- Analyze the client and contractor payments and deposits and create similar financial statement for the project.
- Analyze requirements and design a site that is appropriate for the building project.
- Develop a project organization that specifies the legal relations between the parties in the construction project and an organization deemed appropriate for management of the construction project.
- Explain the process that semester the group has gone through.
- Document project work and its results in a well-structured report.
- Plan and carry out a presentation of the project.
Competencies